What document guides resident care?

• A. Service plan
• B. Resident rulebook
• C. Medical record
• D. Care log

Answer: (A)

The essential idea is how daily, individualized care is organized and delivered. The document that guides resident care is the service plan. It lays out the resident’s goals, specific care tasks, frequency, and who is responsible, creating a clear roadmap for all staff to follow. It reflects the resident’s preferences and needs and is updated as those needs change, ensuring coordinated, person-centered care and safety across shifts and settings.

The other documents serve different purposes: a medical record holds health history and clinical data used for medical decisions; a care log records what happened during care visits; and a resident rulebook isn’t the standard tool for guiding daily care planning.